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Introduction to Linux - A Hands on Guide

This guide was created as an overview of the Linux Operating System, geared toward new users as an exploration tour and getting started guide, with exercises at the end of each chapter.
For more advanced trainees it can be a desktop reference, and a collection of the base knowledge needed to proceed with system and network administration. This book contains many real life examples derived from the author's experience as a Linux system and network administrator, trainer and consultant. They hope these examples will help you to get a better understanding of the Linux system and that you feel encouraged to try out things on your own.

Just another Windose user trying to learn Linux. I am installing Linux on my Prostar 2200 laptop. I am having trouble improving my resolution in SuSE. I know this is possible because I burned three CD-Rs of Mandrake 8.1, this install went just fine. Only two things were a problem: 1) No manuals. 2) The keyboard would stop working after a few moments. So I decided to buy SuSE for the manuals. Well, in SuSE the keyboard works, but I can't get the same resolution I had in Mandrake.

Below is a link to the thread about this problem. Could someone on this forum tell me how to fix my resolution?

I am so new to Linux, that I am clueless as to how to edit this. Could you tell me how. I know how to logon as root, but as far, as how to edit and what to change in the config file.... I am a dummy. Thanks for your patience.

Hello - a couple of things:
check what version of xfree86 you got on there; there are rpm's at suse to upgrade to 4.2.0 - my SiS works much better with that.Try to get it working with whatever you got on there now first.
Suse doesn't install the driver for SiS630 by default - you need to install it with Yast2. It's in group: X11/XFree86/Servers.
Then you can try to configure the card with sax2 - get rid of fbdev - that doesn't support changing the resolution.
If sax2 doesn't work - it always crashes for me - you have to configure xfree with xf86config.
That's the only way I get it to work - stay away from the X11 config of Yast2 after that or it will screw everything up again.
If have problems with that send me an email - I can send you my configfile.
It's not for a LCD but at least something to start with.

Try it; should work - I use it with a SIS 730 chip.
The thing is that when you use fbdev you can't change the resolution of the display.
At least that's what my box tells me at startup when I use fbdev.
Be careful you can crash your display pretty good with wrong settings and it's not easy to fix it when you can't see anything.

With Suse you do sax2 - graphics device setup - properties and change driver fbdev to sis. You got to have the driver installed.
Sax2 doesn't work for me - crashes the screen; but you can give it a try.
You can always configure it manually with xf86config but you have to know where your configfile is in order to tell the prog where to write the new file to.
With Suse you can write it to the defaultlocation. Other distros might use a different location.
After you are done with that restart your xserver and make sure you have a beer handy or start praying - whatever you prefer.
P.S. I go and get one right now - so don't expect any more posts from me today that make any sense at all

You can't put it that way - there is a lot of different hardware out there and it changes constantly. It's not easy to put up with it. Linux distros are volunteers or at the most little companies - nobody at the hardwaremanufacturers gives a fschk how they get it to work.
If Bill doesn't like something they change it.
It ain't all peachy in windows, too - my printer works normally for 1 week max. then it dies on me - driver issue.
In Linux the same printer works forever (once I got it set up right).